Books… The new gadget!

What?

Books?

Yeah.

There are books. And then there are books. Sometimes we stumble upon a really fantastic story which make us hunger for more. We don’t want to leave the new world’s magic expertly wowen by the author. The first novel in the Harry Potter series was such a book. Jean M. Auel’s ‘The Clan of the Cave Bear’ is another classic about an admireable, strong heroine in a world filled with sabertooth tigers, mammoths and other dangers. The very popular books seems to be calling to some deep feelings in us and have a sense of “uniqueness” about them too. Really great authors make it easy for us to identify with the protagonist and experience his or her’s feelings ourself while the author sweeps us away on a trip to fantasy land.

After several years with a world economy on drugs and a following hangover the size of the Pacific Ocean people seem to require new ways of participation and immersion. Therefore: Say hallo to The Book. Reading books is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in a completely different world with new ‘friends’. Good friends make you forget about your problems and enjoy life instead. Friends ask you important questions about yourself, your beliefs and your dreams. A really great book can do the same. When your friends are busy and don’t have time – go find a brilliant book and loose yourself in a book.

I’m not kidding. This weekend a danish newspaper – Berlingske Tidende – wrote an article about libraries as ‘the new hangout place for trendy people’ – not to mention the number of book clubs which has increased rapidly during the last year. Why? Because the book offers something the bloated economy could not: Immersion and ‘flow’. Flow is a mental state of being fully immersed in what you’re doing while feeling fully contented and with an energized focus. Immersion occurs when you’re already ‘flowing’ and is a state of being deep into whatever you’re doing – reading, gaming, writing or whatever else requries concentration or focus.

Not so long ago another paper – Information – wrote an article about book clubs in the exact same fashion – the new place to hang out, the new way of meeting new people and so on. Not only is visiting your local library a smooth way of saying ‘I treat the world nice by saving several tons of Co2’ but imagine how much money you will save?

The economical crisis might have affected the price index for real estate, but filling up your house and book cases with lots and lots of books… well, let’s be honest: It will be a bit pricey in the long run.